Christmas was taken down yesterday. I really didn't have much up, so it was an easy transition. I have all my framed pictures of family and friends around the house again. That makes me so happy!
Today I have been super busy getting things done on my to do list. You all know how much I love to do lists. On of the things on my list today was to complete my Thanksgiving 1/2 marathon page in my race book. I mean come on, it has been over a month ago. So not thinking much about it I got out my race book materials, started filling out the papers, and then I saw I didn't have any pictures printed out yet. I started thinking about it, and I had never even downloaded the pictures from the race. So off to find the camera I went.
Long story short, I finally got the pictures downloaded and I looked through them. I found this one
It was taken right before the race start. I ran that day with Beth. Now Beth and I met when I decided I just couldn't keep up with the Orange group in our running club. I opted to start running with the slower, and much more talkative, yellow group. Beth is an assistant coach for that group. I clicked right away with so many of the yellow group's athletes. But there was something special about Beth and I. Beth and I are in the same racing age group. We married our high school sweethearts. We have our Masters. We are both teachers (although I am sure Beth's teacher status is due to the economy downturn. She is WAY too smart to be teaching high schoolers in my opinion). And of course we both really enjoy running.
When you spend as much time as we do running, one gets to know a lot about the other. We have shared struggles, celebrations, frustrations, gossip, and most recently a squeal (we both got our Run ATL hoodies we wanted for Christmas). It has been an honor getting to know Beth on such a personal level.
This picture especially touched me because I remembered why we were running together. Jacob and I had run the Thanksgiving 1/2 together the two previous years. It had kinda become a tradition. Well do we all remember in June when we said goodbye to Jacob as he set off for training to be deployed? Well at that time we all figured Jacob wouldn't be there for Thanksgiving, so to keep me as calm as possible over that holiday I thought running the 1/2 would be a great distraction. I had already signed up, when Beth let me know she had signed up too. I was taken aback. She went into further detail letting me know I was the only reason she was planning on running a 1/2 two weeks after we were running the Savannah 1/2. She didn't want me to run it alone. I was touched. How sweet. How thoughtful. What a cool display of support.
Beth is a running icon to me. She ended up running three 1/2 marathons in 6 weeks. I am in awe! Because of our similar work schedule we have been able to meet up a couple of times during our holiday break for some amazing runs. She is working on achieving a goal (I won't put it in here, as it is kind of a secret) that is an AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT!
I never really get to say how thankful I am for the friends I have made through Get Fit Atlanta, but I should be better at it. Beth, I thank you for your listening ear, your amazing comments, your thoughtful suggestions, and always just "telling" me where and how far we are running on Saturdays! I am truly blessed to have you in my life.
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